Derek awakened early and smiled at the vision before him. Dark tousled hair surrounded a lovely, peaceful face, deep in slumber. This was a face that he could definitely wake up to each day. Lana Sable had knocked him completely off his square and he wasn’t even attempting to get right.
He’d had no intention of finding her. Hell, he hadn’t even been looking for her, and although, they had different interests and views, their connection felt kindred. He’d felt a natural affinity to her, since first hearing her voice, and now being a recipient of her sweet and steamy love, she’d sealed the deal.
Thinking back to their ‘first date’ the other night, Derek recalled how she’d looked in the orange dress that had hugged her B-cups and round behind. Lorna had been worth her weight in gold for providing the breathtaking sight that he hadn’t been able to take his eyes off of that entire evening.
They’d dined and had drinks at Six One Six inside the hotel and after dinner, the party had begun. Derek smiled, remembering the luscious, chocolate buffet for dessert. As he continued to stare into her face, he was pulled in even further.
His time with her was running out, and there was no way he’d be able to stay away from Washington for the entire month. Therefore, Derek was giving his best shot because this could be his only one with Lana. Right now, there was a dude back in Grayling that she’d cut loose because of distance.
Today they were leaving to return to the Inn and he’d wondered if the last two days here would help his campaign to win Lana Sable. If not, Derek had no plans to stop trying to win her anytime soon. No matter how long it took, Lana Sable was going to be his and remain so for a very long time.
He watched as pretty dark eyes opened slowly and focused on him. Derek reached for his phone and Lana quickly put her hands over her face.
“No pictures Derek!” She turned her face into the pillow.
“You know I can’t get enough of that pretty face,” he told her, opening his camera on the phone.
“I wish I would’ve known this was one of your tendencies,” Lana complained.
He smiled. “Come on baby, so that when I can’t wake up next to you, I can still look at your face.”
With her face still covered, she answered, “Your phone has to be full from all of the pictures we’ve taken over the last two days.”
“I’ve got plenty of storage on my phone,” he informed her while snapping photos.
“Derek!”
He laughed and paused. “Okay, one more and I’ll stop.”
Lana peeked out one eye between her fingers. “Really?”
“I promise.”
“At least let me wash my face,” Lana requested while removing her hands.
Derek laid his head on the pillow next to hers. “That’s defeating the point.”
She turned to him. “You really want a picture of me right now?”
Lifting the phone, Derek positioned it over their faces and snapped.
Looking at the screen, Lana frowned. “My hair is a mess.”
“You’re beautiful…now smile.” In the next photo, he was kissing her cheek. The barrage of shots ranged from smiling to making faces, him kissing her and her kissing him, then finally the two of them relaxing against the fluffy pillows.
Derek sat the phone aside, then turned to her. “See, you like taking pictures.”
“No, I had no choice.”
He touched her face gently. “You can’t keep all this beauty to yourself.”
Lana smiled and whispered. “You know you can talk that talk.”
“Did you have a good time?” Derek asked stroking her cheek.
She nodded, holding his gaze. “I had a wonderful time. I hate that it’s almost over.”
“The only thing that’s over is the location,” he said firmly.
“Thank you for bringing me here. I could’ve come alone, but it wouldn’t have been anywhere near this special.”
Derek reached for his phone again. “Speaking of special…” Holding up the phone, he laid back and began to go through their photos over the trip.
Lana enjoyed going back through their moments together. Finding out that Derek was an amateur photographer, was a surprise. After she’d dressed for their first date, he’d confessed his specialty and insisted that he’d had to photograph her. Since that night, the pictures had been non-stop.
“We look good together,” Derek commented on a picture of them heading out to dinner.
Lana agreed. “I wasn’t expecting that night. I have to tell the book club about it because it was like something out of one of our books.”
Derek flicked through more photos. “You looked amazing.”
“Thanks to you,” Lana said watching his phone. “You’re a good photographer.”
He glanced over at her. “My subject is absolutely beautiful…inside and out. The camera only catches what’s already there.”
Lana reached for his phone and turned it on him. “Let’s test that theory.” She began taking shots of him and felt a surge of warmth, when he began giving her sexy looks and poses.
“Oh yeah, I likes that…” Lana told him as she continued focusing on capturing his image.
Derek laid back with an arm above his head, revealing a muscled chest and abs that led down to a pristine white sheet. Lana reached for the covers and he reached for the camera.
She smiled. “No more pictures?”
“You don’t need them, when you’ve got the real thing,” Derek said pulling her down on top of him.
Lana kissed him softly. “Ain’t nothing like the real thing, baby…”
******
The drive back to Grayling was bittersweet for Lana. While she was always happy to go home, she also didn’t want to end her time with this incredible man. Derek had shown her different sides of him that beckoned her even more.
Over the past two days, he’d made her relax, laugh, smile and scream. She’d accomplished her goals and made a few new contacts for the Inn. All in all, it had been a successful trip both personally and professionally.
But, Lana was smart enough to know that Derek’s life would soon be calling. He couldn’t stay in Grayling, nor would he want to…but she wouldn’t leave.
Staring out of the window, Lana decided not to worry about it now, but to just enjoy the moment and memories that she was making.
“Lana…”
She closed her eyes and braced herself against the heat that encompassed her whenever he spoke her name that way.
“Yes,”
“Don’t over analyze it. It’s going to be fine,” he told her.
Lana turned to him. “I’m trying not to.”
“Let’s enjoy this time.”
“I agree.”
Derek took her hand as he drove. “Is it still not safe at the pool back at the Inn?”
She smiled. “Probably not, and Robbie is still there.”
“Oh, the infamous Robbie. What are your plans with him?”
Lana sighed. “I’m going to wait him out until his stay is over.”
Derek nodded and focused on the traffic. After a few minutes of silence, Lana turned to him.
“I don’t feel right about you paying to stay at the Inn,” she told him.
“It’s already done.”
She touched his arm. “I can’t take your money.”
“You don’t have to, your Daddy will.”
Lana laughed. “Yes, he will. Daddy doesn’t play about his coin.”
“That’s why he runs a successful business for so long,” Derek confirmed. “And I have the utmost respect for him.”
“He likes you,” Lana confirmed. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t have gone on this trip.”
He laughed. “Trust, I know. He gave me quite the man-to-man chat.”
Shaking her head, Lana replied, “That’s my Daddy.”
“I’ll chill at the Inn,” Derek told her. “But whenever you invite me to uh…dinner, I’ll be there.”
Lana smiled at his response and they continued on their way. When they arrived, Lana’s eyes glowed at the sight of her home. Derek exited the car, then came to open her door before helping her out. He grabbed her bag and walked her to the door.
Lana let them inside and followed Derek to the bedroom, where he sat her bag next to the bed. Turning, he pulled her into his arms.
“Welcome home, Lana.”
“Thank you.” She kissed him sensually and lifted on her moving closer.
Derek returned her kiss and held her tightly. Indulging for a few minutes, they pulled apart.
“I’ve got to check in on work,” he told her.
“Me too,” Lana replied. “We can go over together.”
Lana went to step back, but Derek held on to her. “Thank you for a wonderful getaway,” he whispered. “I can’t wait to do it again.”
“You want to do it again?” Lana questioned.
Derek nuzzled her neck. “I want to do all kinds of things with you, baby.”
Cradling the back of his head, she said softly, “I’d like that too.”
He lifted his head. “That’s all I wanted to hear.”
The pair departed and walked back out to Derek’s car, then he drove to the Inn’s parking lot and pulled in before they both headed inside. At the stairs, Lana looked up at him.
“I’ll see you later,”
Derek nodded. “Yes, you will.”
He headed upstairs, as Lena rounded the corner on her way to the desk. Spotting her sister, she quickly made her way over.
“You came back,” Lena teased her.
“You know I was coming back,” Lana said walking to the desk with Lena following. Shyly, she turned back to her sister. “But I didn’t want to…”
Lena smiled. “Go Derek!” Lana gave her a look and Lena smiled wider. “So you had a good time?”
Lana stopped and sighed. “Yes…”
“Lana, you’re back!” Lorna entered the lobby and went to hug her sister.
“Thanks for the dress, Sis,” Lana said returning her hug.
Lena frowned. “What dress?”
Lorna smiled proudly. “I helped Derek pick out a dress for Lana to wear on their first date. It was fire too, since he had no limits.”
Lena turned to Lana. “He bought you a dress?”
Lana nodded as Lorna continued. “He was so sweet. He said he wanted something that was sexy, but still Lana’s style. He ordered shoes, accessories and everything…”
Lena continued looking at Lana. “Again, thank you Lorna. Everything was beautiful,” Lana told her sister and began going through the mail that was on the counter.
Lorna glanced at Lena and then they both looked at Lana. “Tell us what happened,” Lena prodded.
Lana stared down at the desk for a moment. “He took me away and took my heart.” She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Now, I know he has to leave at some point and I don’t know how I’m going to deal with that.”
Lana opened her eyes and focused back on the mail while her sisters watched her.
“You can make it work,” Lena told her.
“It didn’t work with Robbie,” Lana reminded her.
Lorna put an arm around Lana. “Because it wasn’t meant to be.”
Lana turned to her. “You think Derek is?”
“You do, and that’s all that matters.” Lorna answered.
“Exactly,” Lena agreed. “Robbie was always suspect anyway.”
Lana looked confused. “What do you mean suspect?”
Lena shrugged. “He didn’t love you the way you deserved. He was always more focused on what he wanted.”
Lana thought about her sister’s description. “I can see how you can say that. He’d usually disguise it as wanting the best for both of us, but I do agree, it was mostly for him.”
“He’s been looking for you,” Lorna informed her. “He’s pretty frustrated with not being able to see you.”
Lana shook her head. “I need him to get the message. There is no chance…”
The three women looked up as the subject of their conversation came down the stairs. Robert walked over to the desk with a smile.
“Lana, welcome back.” He leaned on the counter.
“Hello, Robbie. Thank you, I hope you’re enjoying your stay.”
He leaned forward. “Can we talk Lana? I’ve been waiting here to see you.”
“There’s nothing else for us to talk about,” Lana responded.
“All the history we have, and I can’t even get a lunch or dinner with you?” Robert questioned. “What have I ever done to deserve this?”
Lorna and Lena looked at their sister then waited for her response.
Lana glanced at her sisters then turned her attention back to Robert. “We can have dinner…after the dinner hour. You can meet me in the dining room and we’ll have our final discussion about whatever it is you’d like to talk about.”
Robert smiled. “Thank you Lana. You’re still the woman I remember.”
“I’ll speak with you later Robbie.”
He nodded and headed out the door and Lana felt her sister’s stares as she went back to the mail.
“What?” she finally asked.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Lena told her.
Lorna agreed. “He’s not going to stop.”
Lana smiled. “Oh, he won’t ask for another meeting.”
******
In his room at the Inn, Derek unpacked from their getaway and immediately went to work. Getting out his computer along with his phone, he began his task. First, he called his office…
“Wells & Associates, this is Gina. How may I help you?”
Derek smiled. “I know that you know it’s me.”
“Always trying to impress the boss,”
He laughed. “How are things?”
“Hectic, crazy, chaotic…” Gina answered. “Which I’m sure you already know. Brian is losing his mind wondering when you will be returning.”
“A little while longer,” Derek assured her.
“What’s up? What can I do for you?” Gina asked.
Derek sat at the table. “I need you to contact our PI and have him run a background check for me.”
“A new candidate?”
“No, this is personal.” Derek told her.
Gina paused. “Okay, this is a first. What’s the name?”
“Robert Gross. He’s out of LA and manages a hotel chain,” Derek explained.
“What do you want to know?”
Derek glanced out the window and saw Robert walking outside. “Everything possible.”
“Got it. I’ll be in touch as soon as he has something.”
“Good, in the meantime I’d like for you to set some meetings up for me. These people are anxious to get together,” Derek said, and went about giving her the information that she needed.
“I’ll take care of this,” Gina promised. “Can’t wait to get you back.”
“You say that now,” Derek teased.
“True, but I’d rather have you than Brian.”
He smiled. “Of course you would.”
Gina laughed. “Enjoy the rest of your vacation.”
“I plan to and enjoy yours as well, because when I get back, it’s going to be a madhouse.”
“It always is with you around.”
Derek chuckled. “Get back to me with that information.”
“Yes, boss.”
Derek disconnected the call as the phone rang on his nightstand. Walking over, he picked it up.
“Hello?”
“Hi, it’s Lana.”
He smiled. “You miss me already?”
“Yes, but that’s not why I’m calling,” she answered.
Sitting on the bed, he lifted a brow. “Then tell me why you’re calling.”
“I wanted to come up and talk to you about something,” Lana told him.
“So why didn’t you just come up here?”
“I didn’t want to disturb you, if you were busy,” she explained.
Derek shook his head. “If you don’t come up here…”
“Okay, I’m on my way,”
A few minutes later, he heard the soft knock and went to answer. Opening the door, Derek watched as she stepped inside before gathering her into his arms.
“So was ‘talk to me about something’ a code?” he asked kissing her softly.
Lana smiled. “No, I actually do need to talk to you.”
Derek frowned. “What’s wrong?”
She broke away and went to sit on the side of the bed. Patting the space next to her, she looked at him. Derek quietly joined her and sat waiting.
“It’s Robbie,” she began.
“What about him?”
Lana sighed. “He really wants to try to make something happen between us again and he invited me to dinner to discuss it.”
Derek watched her as he waited again.
Lana turned to him. “I’d like for you to join us.”
“Huh?”
She took his hand. “I want you to come with me when I meet with him for dinner. I want him to see that you’re real and understand that he has no chance.”
“This is an odd request,” Derek commented.
“I know, but I think this is the only way that he’ll get the message.”
Derek nodded. “I can give him the message…without dinner.”
Lana gave him a look. “I’m sure you could, but can we try this first?”
“I guess…”
“I know this is awkward and probably a lot more than what you bargained for, and if this doesn’t get the point across, I’ll let the chips fall where they may,” Lana offered.
“What do you want me to do?” Derek asked softly.
She squeezed his hand. “I want you there for evidence that I’ve moved on and for some possible back up. Robbie can get frustrated very quickly.”
Derek lifted a brow. “Don’t tell me that he’s hurt you.”
“No, of course not.” Lana assured him. “But we have had very heated arguments in the past and I’m not trying to go there again with him. He has this agenda where he doesn’t want to take no for an answer.”
He nodded. “Okay baby, I’ve got you.” Bringing her hand to his lips, he kissed it softly. “You don’t have to worry about Robbie…at all.”
Lana watched him closely. “What are you thinking?”
“You don’t want to know exactly, but my foot and Robbie’s ass are both involved,” he explained.
“Derek,”
He shook his head. “This is your Inn and I’d never do anything to bring you bad press. I know how to deal with dudes like Robbie…and when.”
She smiled. “You know I like when you talk like that.”
Derek laid her back on the bed. “I know that you like when I do other things as well.”
“I’m still working,” Lana reminded him, as he covered her body with his.
“I won’t keep you long,”
Lana touched his face. “What if I want you to keep me?”
“Lana…”
Her eyes connected with his and held. “I love to hear you say my name,” she whispered. “It’s like sultry music to my ears.”
Derek began to tease her lips and she wrapped her arms around him. For the next few moments, they enjoyed one another until Derek’s phone began to ring.
Lana smiled at him. “I’d forgotten you even had a phone.”
Derek moved to answer the device on the table and looked at the screen. “I’ve been keeping it on silent when we’re together, but I probably need to take this one,” he said pressing a button.
“Hey Gina, hold on.”
Lana got to her feet and looked at him as she heard his greeting. Derek sat the phone down then met Lana at the bed.
“Gina is my secretary, she’s calling me back with information that I requested,” he explained.
She smiled. “Okay, I know you have work too.”
He followed her to the door and looked down at her. “I’ll see you at dinner.”
“Thank you,” Lana said quietly.
Derek kissed her again and she walked out the door. Moving back to his phone, he put it to his ear.
“What’s up?”
“Who was that?” she asked curiously.
Derek rolled his eyes. “Her name is None of Your Business and can I get the information that I pay for?”
She chuckled. “Does Dina know about her?”
“Just because you’re best friends with my sister, doesn’t mean you can be all in my business too,” Derek told her with a smile.
“Boy, I’ve known you since you were in diapers, so don’t try to hold out,” Gina warned.
“One day I’m going to fire you,” Derek threatened.
She smirked. “No, you’re not. I’m the best thing you got going around here.”
He smiled. “That may be true, but right now can I handle my business?”
“So who is this Robert dude, an old boyfriend of your new woman?”
“If I say yes, can I get the information please?”
Gina paused. “Wow, I gotta call Dina and get the 411 on this. Some female has Derek doing background checks. You want me to do one on her too?”
“Hell no! Now give me the damn information Gina!” Derek demanded.
“Who are you cussing at boy? I will call Momma Wells right now.”
Derek took a deep breath. “Gina, can you please give me the information that I requested before I snap off for real?”
Hearing his tone, Gina sobered. “Okay, calm down. No need to get all gangster.”
Derek waited and tried to remain calm. Gina and his sister, Dina were BFF’s for life and always had been. So when he’d opened his office and Dina had recommended Gina, he’d immediately agreed since Gina was like his older sister as well. Both women had always been his champions and his protection. The two of them would kill for Derek and he appreciated having both of them in his life.
However, right now, he wasn’t in the mood for games. Robbie was about to work his last nerve and cause him to show all the way out, but he needed the receipts beforehand.
“This dude was pretty much clean,” he heard Gina’s voice. “Almost like a Boy Scout.”
“Almost?” Derek questioned.
“He’s good, but we’re better,” Gina boasted.
Derek’s eyes narrowed. “What did he do?”
“Aren’t you staying at an Inn?” she questioned.
“Yeah,”
“Does your woman happen to work there?”
Sighing, Derek answered, “She owns it.”
“Bingo!” Gina shouted.
“What?”
“Mr. Robert Gross has recently invested in a venture to buyout and manage family-owned Inns.”